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Combination Birth Control Pills: Care Instructions

Your Care Instructions

Combination birth control pills are used to prevent pregnancy. They give you a regular dose of the hormones estrogen and progestin.

You take a hormone pill every day to prevent pregnancy.

Birth control pills come in packs. The most common type has 3 weeks of hormone pills. Some packs have sugar pills (they do not contain any hormones) for the fourth week. During that fourth no-hormone week, you have your period. After the fourth week (28 days), you start a new pack.

Some birth control pills are packaged in different ways. For example, some have hormone pills for the fourth week instead of sugar pills. Taking hormones for the entire month causes you to not have periods or to have fewer periods. Others are packaged so that you have a period every 3 months. Your doctor will tell you what type of pills you have.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.

How can you care for yourself at home?

How do you take the pill?

Follow your doctor's instructions about when to start taking your pills. Use backup birth control, such as a condom, or don't have intercourse for 7 days after you start your pills.

Take your pills every day, at about the same time of day. To help yourself do this, try to take them when you do something else every day, such as brushing your teeth.

What if you forget to take a pill?

Always read the label for specific instructions, or call your doctor or nurse call line. Here are some basic guidelines:

If you miss 1 hormone pill, take it as soon as you remember. Ask your doctor if you may need to use a backup birth control method, such as a condom, or not have intercourse.

If you miss 2 or more hormone pills, take one as soon as you remember you forgot them. Then read the pill label or call your doctor or nurse call line about instructions on how to take your missed pills. Use a backup method of birth control or don't have intercourse for 7 days. Pregnancy is more likely if you miss more than 1 pill.

If you had intercourse, you can use emergency contraception, such as the morning-after pill (Plan B). You can use emergency contraception for up to 5 days after having had intercourse, but it works best if you take it right away.

What else do you need to know?

The pill has side effects.

You may have very light or skipped periods.

You may have bleeding between periods (spotting). This usually decreases after 3 to 4 months.

You may have mood changes, less interest in sex, or weight gain.

The pill may reduce acne, heavy bleeding and cramping, and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

Check with your doctor before you use any other medicines, including over-the-counter medicines and natural health products. Birth control hormones may not work as well to prevent pregnancy when combined with other medicines.

The pill doesn't protect against sexually transmitted infection (STIs), such as herpes or HIV/AIDS. If you're not sure whether your sex partner might have an STI, use a condom to protect against disease.

Care instructions adapted under license by your healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.